Porn Addiction Books to Help You Take Back Control
Porn addiction is a real issue that, if left untreated, can have dire consequences. It’s a behavioral addiction that can interfere with work, personal, and social life. Fortunately, there are several treatment options, including porn addiction books from experts that help understand the addiction and provide ways to deal with it.
Today, it’s easy to access porn online, which makes the issue of porn addiction even more prevalent. Ten percent of American adults admitted to being addicted to Internet porn.
In order to treat the addiction to consuming porn, it’s necessary to take the first step. Whether seeing a professional or reading a self-help book, the first step of recovery is also the hardest.
The following article lists some of the best books on porn addiction written by experts in behavioral sciences. As a result, these books can help you learn more about your behavior and discover ways to eliminate the addiction gradually.
Can Books on Porn Addiction Help?
Researchers believe that porn and Internet addiction are similar to substance addiction. In other words, it’s a serious mental health issue that requires treatment. Therapy is often the best treatment option for addictive and compulsive disorders. Nevertheless, books on the subject can also be helpful.
Books on porn addiction are often written by therapists and psychiatrists who have experience studying and treating behavioral addiction. Importantly, they provide scientific evidence to back their claims. Many outline steps to control compulsive behavior and take measurable actions to curb the habit of watching porn.
Of course, not all books are created equal, and not all porn addiction withdrawal books may be helpful. However, reading a book on porn addiction can, at the very least, help you identify whether or not you have a problem.
Therapists often consult books by acclaimed and experienced authors when seeing clients with porn addiction problems. Moreover, reading them yourself can be insightful and may even inspire you to try other forms of treatment.
Best Porn Addiction Books
To make your search easier, here are some suggestions for books to treat porn addiction.
1. The Porn Trap by Wendy Maltz & Larry Maltz
To start, The Porn Trap is a highly acclaimed porn addiction book written by renowned sex therapists and educators Wendy Maltz and Larry Maltz. This book serves as a guide on how the availability of porn preys on individuals and can result in addictive behavior that’s hard to let go of.
The book is written for individuals who are porn addicts and those around them, with well-researched and tested methods to overcoming compulsive porn viewing. With great authority, the authors outline ways to rebuild relationships and regain self-esteem by cutting the addiction.
In addition, this book is also a good source for people unsure whether they are addicted to porn.
2. Treating Pornography: The Essential Tools for Recovery by Kevin B. Skinner
Next, Treating Pornography: The Essential Tools for Recovery is a book on porn addiction that simplifies complex concepts surrounding addictive behavior. Kevin B. Skinner, the book’s author, begins by identifying the signs and traits of a person addicted to watching porn.
There’s an ‘Assessing Pornography Addiction’ tool that serves as a handy way to identify and accept there’s a problem.
It’s a self-help manual for porn addicts who want to turn over a new leaf and are willing to take steps to address their behavior. More importantly, the book addresses how a person’s beliefs and experiences may subconsciously contribute to their addiction. The author compassionately addresses the issue, sympathizing with the reader and accepting the difficulty of overcoming addiction.
3. Restored: A Woman’s Guide to Overcoming Pornography by Alice Taylor
Contrary to the popular belief that women don’t watch porn as much as men, the statistics show that women, too, watch porn and are prone to addiction. The third book, Restored: A Woman’s Guide to Overcoming Pornography is written exclusively for women by a woman. Yet, many porn addiction books focus on men and use studies conducted on men, this book sees the issue with a feminine lens.
It’s not all talk; the book provides 10 practical steps for porn addiction withdrawal for women. It addresses other underlying issues, such as relationship struggles and low self-esteem.
4. Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction by Gary Wilson
Fourth, Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction isn’t so much of a self-help book for pornography addiction as it’s a guide to understanding the addiction, specifically in a world full of readily available adult content.
The author Gary Wilson has also spoken at TEDx talk ‘The Great Porn Experiment.’ He dives into the neurology behind addiction and calls out the industries that benefit from addictive behaviors.
The book includes experiences of people who have given up porn and how it impacted their lives. Furthermore, it can give an insight into what lies on the other side, motivating anyone who wants to work on their porn addiction and bid it farewell.
5. Facing the Shadow by Patrick Carnes
Fifth, Facing the Shadow is a recovery guide for sex addicts that can also be incredibly helpful for people addicted to watching porn. It should be noted, that this book is in its third edition and is used and cited by therapists worldwide.
The author, Patrick Carnes, has poured his life’s work into this book with 30 task models for recovery. This book can also be helpful with the 12-Step Recovery program.
Carnes links the thought process with the compulsive behavior, allowing the reader to identify where their addiction stems from. In addition, he has written several other books on sexual addiction.
6. Breaking Addiction: A 7-Step Handbook for Ending Any Addiction by Lance Dodes
Behavioral addiction is marked by compulsive thoughts and an inability to control actions. As such, all types of addictions are similar in how they occur. Lance M. Dodes talks about the ‘helplessness’ that drives addictive behavior and how it can be addressed in Breaking Addiction: A 7-Step Handbook for Ending Any Addiction.
It’s a practical guide for those who are powerless to watch porn. The author is a former professor of psychiatry with a wealth of knowledge on the subject.
Furthermore, he provides concrete steps to address that overwhelming desire to do something even though you know it’s wrong. It can serve as an alternative to recovery programs or work in conjunction with them.
7. Hyperstimulation: Teens, Porn, & Online Addictions by Craig Georgianna, Tom Underhill, and Chad Kelland
Teens are constantly exposed to sexually explicit content online and are prone to becoming addicted to consuming porn. The seventh, Hyperstimulation: Teens, Porn, & Online Addictions deep dives into the modern reality of teens and parents, where accessing porn is quick and easy. Moreover, it addresses the technological gap between teens and their parents, which may further complicate recovery.
The book’s author Craig Georgianna, is a seasoned family and teen therapist. He’s also an addiction therapist. For instance, Tom Underhill is a technology expert who has contributed his knowledge on technology consumption to educate parents and guardians on all the possibilities the Internet brings and the questions it raises.
8.Your Sexually Addicted Spouse: How Partners Can Cope & Heal by Barbara Steffens and Marsha Means
Porn addiction isn’t exclusive to single individuals. It can also impact people in relationships. Porn or sex addition of a partner can take a toll on the well-being of the other partner and the relationship as a whole. Last but not least, Your Sexually Addicted Spouse: How Partners Can Cope & Heal is a great resource for partners of and porn addicts themselves.
Reading this book can be helpful for addicts who can understand how their behavior impacts their partner.
The book presents real-life accounts of people in relationships with sexually addicted partners. With research and insight, the authors make a case for spouses who suffer along with addicts.
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Porn Addiction Is Treatable!
If you or a loved one is addicted to pornography, know that it’s treatable. With the right resources, it’s very much possible to regain control and return to a well-balanced life that allows the individual to achieve sexual and romantic gratification through healthy means.
Conclusively, porn addiction self-help books can help you educate yourself on the subject and implement steps to overcome compulsive thoughts.
Therapy is highly recommended for those struggling with porn addiction. A therapist can help you identify the root causes and provide a path to recovery. Further, therapists also oversee your progress and provide support where and when needed.
Additionally, there are porn addiction hotlines and support groups, like Sex Addicts Anonymous, that can provide valuable information and support as you embark on your recovery journey.